The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1887-12-10
THE FAILURE OF PROHIBITION.
from the Boston Herald

The relation of the republican party
TO the principle of prohibition as re-
CARDS the manufacture and sale of
ardent spirits grows interesting. The
time would seem 10 be close at hand
when it is TO be more clearly under
stood and better defined. Here is the
Boston Journal stating that prohibition
| is part OF the republican creed in the
state of Iowa We suppose there are
| other western states of which the
same NAV be said. 1t is notorious that
The same has been true for many years
| of the state OF Maine, which did not
| prevent the republicans from taking
their candidate for the presidency from
| that state, though he endeavored 10
| make matters easy for them by dodg-
| ing the issue himself, refusing to sup-
port that plank when called upon TO
vote on it. In Ohio, however, the re-
publicans support thoroughly high
license law. In New York their posi-
| ton is really OIL the side of the sale of
| liquor, though they have made endeav-
Ors to create a contrary impression. In
Massachusetts their attitude is, per-
haps, the most equivocal of all. Thev
have here a license law, which for more
than ten years it has been in their
power TO repeal in any week when the
legislature was in session. They decline
to do this and they decline to commit
| themselves 20 prohibition; yet, as
party, they take steps to put into the
comparatively irrevocable law of the
constitution that which they will not
say is right in principle or expedient in
practice in their state convention, or
adopt even an experimental law in
their legislation.
The interesting feature Of the prOhi-
| bitiOn issue is the extent to which the
republicans are tampering with it. If
they would do as the democrats are
doing. either declare against it outright
as is the democratic position IN the
north or leave it out of general politics
altogether rs the party does in the
south it would be settled on its merits.
But the republicans insist upon making
political capital from it. They use It
to gain votes where prohibition is pop
ular: they dodge and deceive, but still
tamper with it where it is not popular.
This keeps the issue as a part of our
national politics alive. 1t makes it
feature i'm the platform of several
states. 1t renders prohibition an in
creaslngly formidable embarrassment
to the republican party. 1t Is proba-
BILE that majority. of the republican
party Of the nation to-day ia in favor
: of prohibition. There IS growing
tendency on the part of those among
, the republicans whO believe in prOhi-
, bitiOn to assert themselves. So far
} from being resisted this tendency is
, aided in such states as IOw~and Kan
sas, and Michigan and Maine, by the
, party as an organization going over to
: their side; while In New York and in
!! Massachusetts, it strives to convey the
D impression that it is ready to go over.
c Unless this state OF things is changed,
it all points to the republican party as
, whole accepting prohibition as 3
8 plank in its platform.
Y What, then, are we to look for as q
Y result? Plainly that prohibition will
: absorb in interesteverything pertaining
C to the republican policy. There is not
y parties of the nation in princi-
Q the republican party was framed 10
: promote is settled Suppose the tariff
p question is settled, as it probably will
9 be in the next two years, for a consid.
II cradle period in the future, at least as
l. far as active controversy is concerned.
o what then is leftP Nothing to stand
It in the way of prohibition. 1t will
II swallow all other issues. In fact, al
" far as the eye can now discern, there
= will be no issues left for it to swallow
IS With the majority OF the republicans
T. IN favor OF prohibition, and prohibi
IS ton made part of the republican creed
the republican party inevitably becomes
prohibition party, and not much else
F The republican politicians, If they arr
intelligent, should see that their pres.
ent action is tending to bring abOu
this result. 1t is clearly its logical out
come. If they do not mean 10 accep
n prohibition as part OF their creed-in
deed, practically all their creed-in tn,
future, they should cease to cOquett,
with those who are now determined Il
J. push prohibition.